Thread-controlled electric stop-motion



I. P. WEIS. THREAD CONTROLLED ELECTRIC STOP MOTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 3. I919- Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET I. I)

42 INVENTOR mnmi T 3547. 7.

ATTORNEY J. P. WEIS. THREAD CONTROLLED ELECTRIC STOP MOTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. I919- 1,367,219. Patented Feb. 1,1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

J, P. was. THREAD CONTROLLED ELECTRIC STOP MOTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 3.1919- Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

m E m J W .w A w n 3 h of the sewing machine head.

UNITED STATES JOHN P. WEIS, OF NYAOK,

DELAWARE.

. THREAD-CONTROLLE Original application filed October 16, 1911, Serial No. 887,005.

347,189. Divided and this application filed January 3, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN PETER \Vnrs, a citizen of the United States. residing at Xyack, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-Controlled Electric Stop-Motions. of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a thread-cont-rolledelectric stop-motion for sewing machines; its objects being particularly to stop in its entirety a machine comprising one or more bodily movable sewing machines on breakage of a needle thread or of a needle carrying the thread.

This application is a division of my pending application Serial No. 317,189 filed De cember 21, 1919. asa renewal of my application Serial No. 867,005, filed October 16, 1911, and the subject-matter hereof is particularly useful in machines of the type shown in said ap lication and in my Patent No. 1,111,082 of ctober 20, 1911.

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof,

Figure 1 is a front form of mechanism embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of its threadcontrolled lever bracket removed.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an electric switch mechanism for stopping the entire machine on breakage'of a thread or needle.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a portion of the bracket shown in Fig. 2 and of mechanism carried by it.

Fig. 5 is a side view of what is shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a plan of spring-actuated means shown in Fig. 2 for giving movements to a trip lever shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail at line 7-7 of Fig. 2 of a needle-thread tension carried by the bracket shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an elevational detail of what is shown in Fig. 3.

- Fig. 9 is an elevational detail of trolley rail actuating mechanism operated by a rev= oluble .cam and showing details of operating means for the stop controlled top shaft It also shows the downward ext-ending actuating lever for NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR SEWING MACHINE conrona rron, or DOVER,

Specification of Letters Patent.

elevational view of one PATENT OFFICE.

0F ONE-HALF TO METROPOLITAN DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF ELECTRIC STOP-MOTION.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Renewed December 24, 1919, Serial No. Serial No. 269,478.

working a rocker shaftfrom which the needle thread pull off lever is actuated; and a revoluble cam for actuating the downwardly extending actuating lever. Fig. 10 is the front elevational view of what is shown in Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 is an end view of the main shaft clutch mechanism and of the electric separating mechanisms operatively related to a signal lamp. Fig. 12 is av top plan view of the right end portion of the structure shown in Fig. 11 with the fly wheel lever around. Fig. 13 is an elevational detail of the clutch releasing mechanism. This view is partly in section at line 13-13 of Fig. 11, and Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 15 is an elevational detail of the clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 13, and Fig. 16 is an elevational detail partly in section of a latch mechanism.

In that form of the invention set forth herein. 1 is a horizontal stationary track for a bodily moving cutting and sewing machine head H represented by dotted lines. One side of the track is provided with a pair of lengthwise extending parallel electricconductor bars 2 -and 3, spaced apart one above the other and separated from the track by insulation 1. The upper bar 2 and under bar 3 are connected in series by lead wires 5 and 6 that run to a lamp 7 and electromagnet M. A bell-crank lever pivoted at 8 has an upper horizontal arm 9 serving as an armature. The vertical arm 10 is dependent and formed at its lower end with a hook 11 which catches in the notch 12 of the drop bolt 13 which trips theclutch for stopping the machine, Thc feed-in leads are indicated by 11 and 15.

The sewing machinehead H has a bracket 16 carrying a spool stand 17 having an upwardly extending rod 18. The stand carries a needle thread supply 19 and a looper thread supply 20. The upper end of rod 18 carries a needle-thread. tension device 21 and also a looper-thread tension device 22; and also a forwardly-extending rod 23 having thread eyelets 21 at its end to guide the threads. From these eyelets the threads pass to the guide ear 25 having an eye 26 for the needle thread and an eye 27 for the looper thread. The sewing mac ine head carries a bracket plate 28 secured in place by a screw 29.

. lengthwise slot 48 for a pin 48 tween the -ment1oned' lever 58 thread eyelet guide 30 is carried at the forward end of the plate 28 in front of the tension device 31 carried by the plate. A similar thread guide 32 is carried comprises two vertical elongated tension plates 33 and 34, at the upper end-of which is a horizontal guide pin 35 secured in the back tension plate 33. The front end of this pin projects through the hole 36 in the front plate 34. The bottom ends of the plates are slotted at 37 to fit over the pin 38. This pin is carried by the bracket plate 28 and keeps the tension plates from swinging on'a'stud 39 which is also carried by the bracket plate 28 andprojects forwardly therefrom, and is provided with an adjustingv nut 40 at its free end and with a coiled spring 41 to give pressure to the tension plates for regulating the tension on the thread, the spring inclosing the pin between the front plate 34 and the nut.

The inner faces of the tension plates 33, 34 are reduced in thickness from the point marked a: to the top thereof to give a free space 42 between the plates for free movement of the needle thread, which passes betension plates from the guide 32 through the guide eyes 43 of the bent end of the pull-off'lever 44 which is pivoted at 45 to the plate 28. The pull off lever 44 is operated to pull needle thread out of the tension when the machine stops sewing; and it is set in operation or actuated through the movement of the rocker, arm 101; its rocker shaft 51; and the tooth 48; and as indicated by Fig. 9, the herein after which is a belt crank movement of the hereinafter mentioned thread breaker slide block 65. The pin 35 over the needle thread prevents the latter from jumping out of the space 42 during the operation of the pull-off lever 44 ,the rear end of which extends downwardly at 46 and is provided with a bent end 47 which coacts with a spring-controlled latch 48 carried inthe tubular rocker arm 49 of a rock-shaft hub 50. The inward end of this latch which has a round shank bottom against the coiled spring 48 in the chamber of the rocker arm which has a v projecting from the latch shank through the slot, is secured to the end of a horizontal rock-shaft 51 in the tubular bearing 52 carried by the two forwardly-extending lugs 53 integral with the bracket plate 28. The rear end of the rock shaft 51 carries a dependent rocker arm 54 the under end ofwhich is pivoted at 55 to an end of a link 56. Th of this link is pivoted at 57 to the upper end of a downwardly-extending actuating lever 58 for rocking the shaft 51 in its bearing 52 so that the latch 48 dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 where lever is actuated by by the plate at. the other side of the tension device 31 which e-rear end will be moved to the the latch 48 contacts with the end 47 of the lever 44 moving it to the dotted line position shown needle thread 19 from between the tensioning faces of the plates 33 and 34 into the free in Fig. 4 so as to.draw the 60 from whence the needle thread is conducted to the the needle 62.

The looper thread 20 passes from the guide 25 to the thread tube 63 secured to the lower portion of the machine frame,the front end of the tube being indicated at 64. The thread passes from this end of the tube directly to a looper, not shown. The looper thread is broken by the mechanism, which forms the subject-matter of my co-pending divisional application, Serial N 0. 269,277, filed Jan. 2, 1919, and of which the thread breaker slide block is herein encircled by 65.

The sewing machine frame has secured thereto at 66 a bracket 67 which has pivoted thereto a lever '68 by the pivot 69. This lever carries an insulating member 70, which extends forward and is provided with a contact shoe 71. A lead wire 72 connects with it and also to the 73 which needle holder 61 and thence to has its face 78 riding against the rail 2 carried by the track .1. The bottom shoe 79 has its face 80 riding in contact with the rail 3. These shoes 77 and 79 are carried by the insulator 81 supported by the arm 82 of the bracket 67.

The lever 68 extends upward so asto 00- act with a rod 83 also carried by the lugs 53, but above and at the rear of the shaft 51. This rod passes through the holes 84 which. are slightly larger than the rod to give free movement thereto. A cone-shaped collar 85 is secured to the rod having a pm 86 extending from the rim thereof. The arm 87 of a spring 88 is attached thereto. The other arm of. the spring is attached at 89 to a bracket lug 53. The tension of the spring tends to move the rod in the direction of the arrow, Fig.2. The front end of the rod carries a spool-shaped collar 90 secured thereto. The neck of the spool opcomprises a swinging transverse cross-bar 4 with the shoe 79 at 100,

having two eyelets 98 and 99, one at each end of the bar. When two .needle threads are used in a double stitching machine having two needles and two loopers, the needle threads are passed through the eyelets 98 and 99 of the swivel 96, the swivel bar being capable of a' swingingor rocking movement; as the threads are under tension the eyelets are held in the position shown in Fig. 2.

If either thread should break, the tension is relieved; the weight of the trip lever 92 and the tension of the spring 88 are such as to permit the trip lever to drop, either eyelet 98 or 99 swinging to a vertical position permitting such dropping movement. This end movement of the rod 83 pulls it from behind the lever 68 shifting the lever on the pivot 69', bringing the shoe 71- in contact making the electrical connection, closing the circuit between the rails 2 and 3 so that the current passes through the shoes 79 and 71, through the conductor 73 to the shoe 77 so as to energize the magnets M, the lamp 7 will be illuminated,'the armature 9 of the bell crank lever will be lifted, disengaging the hook 11 from the notch 12, and dropping the bolt 13 to stop the machine.

In order to prevent the electrical connections being'closed each time the thread is broken when the machine stops stitching because at such time there is a slack needle thread, the weighted trip-lever 92 must be prevented from falling. For this purpose I provide a rocker arm 101 secured to the shaft 51; the upper edge 102 of the rocker arm rocking into position behind the conical collar each time the machine is stopped. This action is simultaneous with the action of the thread pull-ofi lever 44 for withdrawing the thread from between the tension plates 33 and 34.

Where a.plurality of needle threads are to be used, the pin 39 is provided with a tension for each thread; and the pin is provided with additional tension plates 33 and 34 only partially shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but in all respects as shown in Fig. 7.

The foot of the actuating lever 58 is pivoted at 58 and the foot has a rigid extension '58 which at 58 is pivoted to a block 65 which is slidably mounted on the horizontal, vertically movable track 65*, the vertical movements bein given the track by a series of intermediate levers 65 and links 65 I operatively the result that the arm connected by means of a cam roll 65 with a peripheral cam A on the revoluble pattern cam C.

When the bolt 13 drops, the latch 103 which is pivoted at 104 in a recess 105 in the bolt and which is normally pressed outward by a spring 106 against a guide plate, not shown, is bodily in its recess 105, and the foot of the bolt becomes engaged by the peripheral cam 107 on the fly wheel clutch 108. The cam 107 lifts thebolt and permits its latch 103 to escape from its recess outwardly into contact with the under side of the lock lever 109 which is pivoted at 110 to the fly wheel housing 111. The lock lever 109 has a tooth 112 which engages the arm 113 of the vertical starting post 114; the arm 113 carrying the armature 9 and the bolt 13. Connected to the arm 113, there is a coiled spring 115 which tends to pull the arm 113 into its inoperative position (Fig. 14) when the fly wheel clutch 108 is disengaged from the fly wheel F. When the machlne is working, the fly wheel clutch is in engagement with the fiy wheel; and whenever either the upper thread or the looper thread or a needle for the upper thread breaks, the consequent endwise movement of the rod 83 out of engagement with the trip lever 68, permits the contact 71 to make a circuit as described, for stopping the machine. To start the machine, the starting post 114 is worked with 113 is shifted to the dotted line position (Fig. 14) and full line position (Fig. 12) and the tooth 112 of the lock lever 109 engages the arm 113 and holds it in its engaged position against the pull of the spring 115; the armature 9 being then brought and held under the magnet poles 116. On the upward movement of bolt 13, the tooth 11 of the armature engages the notch 12 on the bolt and holds the bolt elevated until electrical connection is again made. Simultaneously with the starting movement of the starting post, the clutch members 117 on the main shaft 118 are thrown into engagement with the fly wheel clutch 108, by the arms 119 carried by the starting post. The starting post is provided with a rock-lever 120, the outward end of which is connected at 121 with the horizontal trolley rail 122 of the machine and the trolley rail may be pushed endwise to give a machine starting or stopping rocking movement to the rockable starting post. The pull 01f lever 44 is actuated by the rockable, yielding tooth 48; the pull off lever operates whenever the peripheral cam A lifts the cam roll 65 and whenever the rockable tooth 48 on the shaft 51 rocks with the shaft 51, the rocker arm 101 which is on the shaft 51 is rocked behind the collar 85 to prevent the rod 83 from shifting endwise during the operation of the machine. But whenever a needle thread or a needle breaks, slack occurs I in the needle thread armature;

permitting the weighted lever 92 to fall and effect a shift of the rod 83 from behind the lever '68 to stop the machine. The clutch stopping means are the fly wheel clutch mechanism described; and 68 constitutes aswitch closing lever. In Fig. 12, a snap switch for the incomingcurrent is indicated by S. The fly wheel F is belted to a motor M".

What I claim is,- v

1. The combination of a sewing machine; insulatedly supported conductors insulated one from another; anelectric switch apparatus cooperating with the conductors; an electro-magnet; an armature therefor; a clutch-stopping means under control of the a needle-thread pull-01f lever having a thread eye; a trip lever-having a thread eye; needle-thread guiding and tensioning meansplooper thread guiding and tensioning means; mechanism for actuating the pull-off lever; and. a switch-closing lever operatively connected with the trip lever; the switch-closing lever automatically moving on breakage of a thread or needle and by such movement actuating the switchclosin lever to keep the switch 0 en.

2. n the structure of claim 1, t e pull-oil lever being actuated by a rocking yielding ality of thread ey able rod.

3. In the structure of claim 1, the needlethreadguiding and tensioning means comprising a stationary device adjacent the-eye in the ull-ofi' lever; and the eye in the trip lever being vibratable between the eye of the fpull-ofl lever and another stationary eye orward of the triplever eye.

4. In the structure of claim 1, a plurality of rearward stationary thread eyes; a plures in the pull-ofl lever; a plurality of rocking thread eyes for the trip lever; and a. plurality of forward thread eyes. I 5 In the structure of claim 1, a pluralit or rearward stationary thread eyes a plural ity of thread eyes in the pull-ofl plurality of rocking thread eyes for the trip lever; a plurality of forward thread eyes; and between the rearward stationary thread eyes and the thread eyes in the pull-off lever, a tensioning device for each of a plurality of needle threads.

- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31 day of December, 1918.

" JOHN P. WEIS.

thread eye and tension lever; a" 

